Snap switch



Jan. 23, 1923.

H. E. LEPPERT SNAP SWI'rcH FILED JUNE 27, 1922.

INVENTOR Henry E. L

I eppert,

ORNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1923.

NITED STATES.

V amaze PAENT O-FFlC HENRY E. LEPIPER'I, OF BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A'SSIGNOR TO THE TRUMBULL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A CORPO- RATION OF. CONNECTICUT.

SN AP SWITCH.

Application filed June 27, 1922. Serial No. 571,306.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. LEPPERT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Britain, Connecticut, have in- -vented a new and useful Snap Switch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to what are sometimes called toggle switches or lever switches. The main object is to provide a simple but reliable construction which can be economically produced and which is positive in its action. Another object is to so construct the parts that they may be readily assembled and held together bya pin and operating spring. Another object is to so construct the parts that the main switch cdntact" is completely insulated from the frame and operating lever.

I have shown the invention as applied to what is commonly termed a wall switch, but it should be understood that it is applicable to other forms.

Fig. 1 is a front view of a switch embodying the improvements of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the plane of the irregular line 2-2.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the operating mechanism.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the movable parts of the switch mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view in side elevation showing the principal parts of a switch on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the supportin frame.

The main body or support 7 may be of insulating material of any suitable form. The frame 8 is mounted in the body in any suitable manner and held in place for instance by means of one or more screws 9. The contact member 10 in the form shown is adapted to connect the stationary contacts 11-11. The contact carrier has a yoke 12 pivoted on a pin 13 and two U-shaped insulating straps 1 1 which engage the reduced shank 15 of the contact member. The straps are slotted at '16 to receive the shank of the contact member and also to position them on the lugs 17 in the yoke 12. They are also provided with notches 18 to engage the edges of the opening 19 in the yoke.

The operating lever 20 is pivoted on the same pin 13 that carries the yoke 12 of the contact member. This lever 20 has sto shoulders 21-21 adapted to engage the back of a face plate to limit the movement of the lever. This lever also carries a pin 22.

I Between the pin 22 and the shank 15 of the contact member 10 is interposed a transmittingmember having two bars 23-23 of insulating material such as fibre. One end of each bar is notched at 24 to receive the shank 15 and the other end is notched at 25 to receive the pin 22. A spring 26 surrounding the bars 23 exerts its pressure at one end against the pin 22 and at the other end against the shank 15. For convenience in construction, I interpose a washer 27 between one end of the spring and the pin 22, and another washer 28 between the other end of the spring and some part of the bars 23, such as the shoulders 29. The washer 27 may be grooved at 30 to fit the pin 22. The

.washer 28 preferably has a cross bar 31 to keep the bars 23 separated.

To assemble the parts the straps 14 are slipped on to the shank of the contact member 10 and the ends of the straps are then inserted through the outer end of the yoke 12 and adjusted into position. The bars 23 are then inserted between the straps with the notches 24 fitting the shank 15. The washer 28 and the spring 26 may then be slipped on to the bars 23 followed by the washer 27. The pin 22 of the lever 20 is then inserted in the notches 25 of the bars 23 and the spring compressed while the yoke 12 is i in the frame 8. The pin 13 is then inserted and the parts thus held together.

When the lever is moved downward as viewed in Fig. 5, the pin 22 moves upward and carries with it the lower ends of the bars 23, the pin 22 sliding in the slots 25. This action compresses the spring 26 which thrusts against the shank 15 of the contact member 10. When the -pin.22 passes the line connecting the axes of the pin 13 and the shank 15, the spring throws the contact member and yoke 12'd0wnward.

From the drawin s it will be clear that the contact roller 10 is carried by the swinging yoke 12 under the tension of the spring 26 but it is free to rotate and to adjust itself to make a erfect contact with the terminals without an s ecial adjustment of any of the parts. ol er contact 10 is supported entirely by insulating parts, prefer-- ably of fibre, therefore is free of metallic friction as well as entirely insulated from the operating mechanism.

The various pa rts of the operating mechanism are easily assembled and are secured together as an operable unit by means of a single pin 13.

I claim:

1. In a snap switch, a pivoted yoke, two

insulating straps-carried thereby, a contact member carried by said straps, a pivotedoperating lever, two insulating bars extending through said yokeand connecting said operating lever and said contact member.

2. In a snap switch, a pivoted metallic yoke, two. U-shaped insulating straps carriedthereby, a contact member having a shank embraced by said straps, a ivoted operating lever, a pin carried t ereby, and a slotted insulating bar connecting said pin and the shank'of said contact member.

. 3. In a snap switch, a metallic carrying yoke having pivoted side arms, an insulating strap carried by said yoke, a contact member carried by said strap, a pivoted operating lever, a pin carried thereby and slotted insulating bars connecting said pinand said contact member and movable through said yoke. I

4. In a snap switch, a pivoted metallic yoke having an opening with lugs on opposite sides thereof, insulating straps mounted in said opening and positioned by said lugs, a freely rotatable contact member.

carried by said straps, an operating lever and a transmitting member connecting said operating lever and said contact member.

5. In a snap switch, a frame, a yoke having side arms pivoted in said frame, an insulating strap carried by said yoke, a rotatable contact member carried thereby, an operating lever pivoted in said frame, a transmitting member connecting said operating lever and said contact member through said yoke.

6. In a snap switch, av frame, a metallic yoke having arms pivoted within said frame, insulatin r straps carried by said yoke between said si e arms, a rotatable contact member carried by said straps, an operating lever pivoted to said frame, two insulating bars connecting said operating lever and said contact member and located between said straps, and a washer for spacing said bars, and an operating spring coacting with said bars.

7. In a snap switch, a swinging member, two U-shaped insulating straps removably carried thereby, a rotatable contact member mounted in said straps, an actuating lever, a pin carried thereby and slotted insulated transmitting bars connecting said pin and said contact member and a spring surrounding said bars.

. HENRY E. LEPPERT. 

